


Where theres Smoke, There's Fire

by Cassius Irvine (Floris_Oren)



Category: Alias Smith and Jones
Genre: A lot of OC's, Amnesia, Amnesia fic, Backflashes, Gangs, Gen, Heyes in Peril, Kid Curry to the rescue, M/M, Western, Western Violence, gold - Freeform, mining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-09
Updated: 2015-06-03
Packaged: 2018-03-29 19:05:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3907234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Floris_Oren/pseuds/Cassius%20Irvine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry have to back track after Heyes is attacked and left for dead in the Wilderness of Nebraska. Heyes looses his memory and Kid isn't sure if his best friend will ever come back to him. Added to this is the danger of a gang Heyes has previously come across before he joined the Devil's Hole Gang and made friends with Kid. It's not easy being two Ex-outlaws just trying to make an honest living.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Parting is hard to do

**Author's Note:**

> Heyes backstory is kinda going off "Exit to Wickenburg" episode where Heyes had been part of a different gang that broke up after their leader took off with 33,000 dollars. I'm playing on the idea that Heyes took around ten or so being on his own before he joined the Devil's Hole Gang and made friends with Kid. So the gang in this story he comes across before DH. By about five or so years. His experience with them is not a good one at all. Just so ya'll know. Also, Kid and Heyes are not Cousins. I know this changes in a later episode where they're talking about the Civil War and loosing their parents and stuff, but, I am also going by their "cover" story in "The Reformation" episode when Kid spills the beans to the older Nun. I'm pretty sure it's just a cover story, it's not "canon" until the episode where the family starts to feel guilty about turning them in to get their bounty and hence helps them break out of jail. Where Heyes shows his gambling prowess near the end and they donate a ton of money to the town and their detective friend helps in the court and stuff. So, I'm basically choosing the eps that support my idea of Heyes and Curry not meeting until the 'Outlaw' days. Anyway, that's enough of these notes.

 

“Heyes….you better wake up.” Kid muttered to the unconscious man lying on the bed in the hotel room. The window was open to some degree and the lamp was turned low. Heyes lay in the bed, naked, only a sheet covering him. Kid imagined he could see the bruising through the thin piece of material. Heyes was already soaking it through with his sweat. The Fever had caught hold and Kid would periodically bath Heyes with the coldest water he could find. Primarily, the Hotel’s private well out back.

 

And so far the clues as to how and why Heyes had gotten into this state was all a jumbled mess of a puzzle. Kid frowned and cleaned his gun, all the while glancing at Heyes. He couldn’t help but be paranoid and count the amount of time Heyes’ chest went up and down. Sometimes he lied so still that Kid could swear he had passed. He’d spent half the evening after supper planning Heyes’ funeral.

 

And somehow he had managed to not lose his temper. It’s amazing what he could do when he can’t rely on Heyes. Stealing the Bust of Caesar back from MacCreedy for Armandiaz had been a cinch. Heyes would have had a ball planning that little job. But, they had other business that needed seeing too and since Heyes was an expert in that field it fell to Kid to get the bust back.

 

Thankfully MacCreedy had seen it as part of the game he and Armandiaz had going on so wasn’t entirely upset with him. It had paid well. In American dollars to boot and so they would be fine on the cash front for a while. Which was why Kid had sprung for room on top of the hotel where they wouldn’t be bothered and he had a good view of the town.

 

Still, the gang that had jumped, kidnapped, beaten and shot Heyes were still on the loose. Kid, of course, had notified Lom to be on the look out since the gang were primarily operating around Porterville. But, what had brought them all the way to Hope Falls, Nebraska he couldn’t guess. And for their first time in Nebraska, without knowing the lay of the land or anything, it’d been nothing short of Divine Intervention that he’d come upon Heyes in the countryside at all.

 

Kid abandoned his half cleaned gun in favor of washing Heyes’ face down with the damp rag. The heat radiated off Heyes as if he were the desert itself. Kid could feel it on his own face it was that bad. If the fever didn’t break soon he’d lose the only friend - and family - he ever laid claim too.

 

The soft knocking on the door brought Kid out of his gloomy thoughts. The knocking was three in quick succession, another two, then three more. Kid got up and opened the door. Sheriff Thomas Hogan stood there.

 

“Anything?” Kid asked as he admitted the man. Thankfully, their wanted posters hadn’t made it up to Nebraska and they were relatively safe where the law came in.

 

“Maybe, a feller by the name of Talmage Arthur says e ‘elped your feller a few days back. ‘E’d found him out in the woods and took ‘im to ‘is cabin. Says that when the gang came round, ‘Eyes had taken off and since ‘e wasn’t no place ‘round the gang left. ‘E also said they acted like lawmen.” Hogan reported.

 

“Lawmen?” Kid blinked. Surprised though it would probably make perfect sense to Heyes if he were awake and not suffering from a fever.

 

“Apparently the Wilcox gang acts like the law when they want information. They have badges and everything.” Hogan shrugged.

 

“Oh, right.” Kid nodded, it all made sense now. “It’d be easy to drum up some fake documents and take a transfer to another town or something.” Kid whistled, That was one bank robbing plan that took guts.

 

“Talmage played along though ‘e didn’t buy it. Lawmen tend to act a certain way.” Hogan said. Clipping his thumbs on to his gun belt. “Anyways, is your feller any better?”

 

“No, I think he’s getting worse.” Kid muttered. He shot a worried glance over to Heyes whose breathing had changed a bit. But he soon settled. Kid wondered if Heyes were dreaming. It must be bad whatever it is, because Heyes usually never had a breathe change when have a nightmare.

 

“I’m real sorry that we don’t got a good doc ‘round ‘eres.” Hogan shook his head. He turned and opened the door. “But, I sure know you have it handled.” he added before tipping his hat to The Kid and leaving the room. He shut the door gently behind him.

 

Kid returned to Heyes’ side. Once again he couldn’t help but ponder the beginning of this little adventure of theirs and he wished Heyes were awake so that he could holler at him,

 

~*~

TWO WEEKS AGO

~*~

 

“Heyes, are you sure you want to do this?” Kid asked for what seemed liked the thousandth time if Heyes eye roll is anything to go by. Heyes stands next to The Kid while they wait for the train to pull in. There’s no way Kid can ride to Texas in the few days they have to take up Armandiaz for that job so the train it is. A horse and an escort were to be provided once Kid reached Amarillo. Heyes still put a lofty amount of money in his bags just in case something happened. Kid didn’t like Heyes giving him a hundred dollars, but Heyes insisted.

 

“I’m certain. Kid. We can’t give up this find, and you know it.” Heyes lowered his voice. Over the past year the two run ins they had with mining, and gold, always ended badly for them. For once Heyes wanted to keep it a secret and mine enough for their retirement. And maybe some extra to keep them comfortable for a few more months. The year of their imposed Parole was almost up and they were to get their pardons. Hopefully.

 

“Fine. But don’t get into any trouble, you hear?” Kid waggled a finger at Heyes who let out a loud guffaw.

 

“You worry too much, has anyone said?” Heyes shook his head. The train pulled in and it was a second wait for passengers to get off and for the train to re-board.

 

“Be careful yourself,” Heyes said by way of parting. He waved Kid off and after he’d seen the last of the train, with nothing but white steam coming from the engine, Heyes was alone.

 

~*~

PRESENT DAY

~*~

  
Kid ground his teeth; “I never should have left you.” he told Heyes. Who is still unconscious and doesn’t have one sassy thing to say to his best friend and sometimes Lover. 

~*~

 


	2. When the going gets tough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get comlicated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first chapter was super short, so here is the second to make up for it.

~*~

TWO WEEKS AGO

~*~

 

Heyes sighed as he turned away. He didn’t like this feeling. Being alone meant too many variables he had to worry about. He was reassessing everything within an inch of its life and the paranoia wasn’t something he enjoyed. Sometimes he’d forget and turn to tell Kid something he was thinking, upon not finding him there he became disappointed and would then proceed to pout.

 

Well, that was Kid’s word for it. Hannibal Heyes did not pout thank you very much. Still, it was...lonely without Kid there. Heyes wondered at the concept as he strode off the train platform and across the street to the Land Office. The sign was turned to “open” and he walked in. He put his private thoughts of Kid aside as he walked up to the counter. The clerk looked up. He was an older gentleman, slight of build with thinning, grey hair and light green eyes. His suite looked as if it's seen better days but was well cared for; the stitches where it’d frayed had been done by up neatly, Heyes could tell the man’s wife was dedicated and probably happy being married to the clerk.

 

“What can I do ya for, Mr…?” the clerk asked.

 

“Joshua Smith, and you are?” Heyes asked.

 

“Frederick Nathaniel.” he said, they shook hands; Heyes then produced a map from the inside pocket of his jacket.

 

“I want to know if anyone has claimed this cave system?” he said, pointing to a particular spot. Frederick pulled glasses from his own breast pocket, he put them on and then squinted at the map.

 

“Crow’s Ravine….?” Frederick muttered. “I dunn suppose anyone has, the gold there has gone done dried up.” he explained. Heyes wanted to grin. But he settled for a small, hopeful look instead. “Ah, we ain’t looking for gold.” he lied easily.

 

Frederick ducked his head and nodded as he got out some papers. “Just fill these out. An’ it yours.” Frederick said as he handed them over. Heyes grabbed a pencil and left the counter for a small sitting area off to the side, the green couch had seen better days but the small table served as a good place to fill the papers out.

 

Heyes did it slowly because he did not want anything he wrote to be mistaken. Being left handed was a bitch sometimes, especially when the teacher tried to get him to write with his right hand, which was quickly squashed by Ma when she found out. And so he went from being left handed to doing most thing right handed but whenever he wrote anything it was always with his left hand. Kid teased him about his handwriting being horrendous, but what did he know about it? he was right handed.

 

Heyes sighed, Kid. Again. It hadn’t even been an hour and he was thinking of Kid. He really had a thing for the other man. Something that they never talked about but acknowledged all at the same time. It was weird not having the Kid there to make sure Heyes wasn’t messing up the papers, worrying about the supplies they’d need and it’d be two weeks before they saw each other again.

 

Heyes kinda wished that Kid hadn’t taken the job for Armendariz. He wanted the Kid by his side like always. However, it was far too late to change their minds about it at all and they had to see it through to the end.

 

Heyes finished the papers, he gave them a once over just in case he missed anything. He had printed this time instead of going with his normal half cursive-print which Kid found annoying. But, it look all sorts of official so Heyes turned them in.

 

“It’s a good thing the gold miners have all moved on, it makes my job easier and you don’t have to wait weeks for approval.” Frederick said as he stamped the papers and gave Heyes ownership of the claim.

 

“Thanks a bunch.” Heyes said as he pocketed the claim deed.

 

“Sure thing, come again if there’s anything else I can do for you.” Frederick smiled cheerily as he waved Heyes out the door. Once back on the street Heyes started planning. He couldn’t wait two weeks to start on the claim. Kid would just have to pitch in whenever he got back. Hopefully, of course Kid would send him a telegram if anything went wrong. Heyes just hoped no one had broken their little code. That’d be a hell of a situation.

 

Heyes’ first stop was the livery where he rented an old wagon. Then he hitched his horse to it and went to the Dry goods store where he loaded up on as much supplies as the little money he still possessed would allow. By noon he was on the trail to the claim. it took the whole of the afternoon to get there. It was a long ways from Town and if he ever did go back in, he’d have to make it a day trip.

 

At the end of the day, Heyes had the camp set up, the tools organized and was being held at gun point. He figured, privately, that he wouldn’t be getting much work done in the coming days.

 

~*~

PRESENT, The Next Day

~*~

 

The moaning from the bed woke Kid who’d slumped over in his chair sometime during the night. Kid blinked about blearily until he spied Heyes squirming on the bed and gasping in pain.

 

“Heyes,” Kid said softly, he didn’t want to give their cover away just in case someone heard by accident, but he felt that saying their cover names would confuse the man on the bed who was just waking up after sleeping for three days. Kid couldn’t help but remember that time Heyes took a bullet to the skull and woke up asking for him, giving their identities away to the lady of the house - who to this day hadn’t told a soul who they really were.

 

“Who?” Heyes asked, confused. “I’m not….” he squinted at the Kid. “Hannibal Heyes, I’m Joshua Smith. Why do people think we’re two notorious outlaws?” Joshua asked.

 

Kid blinked. Then nodded. “I’m gonna go for a doctor, you stay right here, Joshua. Don’t make me knock you out again.” he muttered.

 

About a half hour later Doctor Sanders was done examining Joshua and changing the bandages on his wounds. Kid sat in the hallway, confused, scared and worried. He tried not to show it. He had to be Thaddeus Jones. And Thaddeus Jones was never worried. Well, maybe a little bit. But if he acted too much like The Kid right now Joshua wouldn’t trust him and right now they couldn’t have problems like that.

 

“Well, without telling me who he actually is, I’d say he has a case of amnesia.” Sanders said to Kid who walked him down to the lobby of the hotel they were staying at.

 

“Amnesia? is that the thing where if you knock your head too hard you forgit whose you are?” Kid asked.

 

“Indeed.” Sanders nodded. “I don’t know how bad it is, Mr. Smith could come to his senses at any time. It may be short term, but it probably may be long term.” Sanders shrugged as he closed up his medical bag.

 

“That’ll be ten dollars.” he said. Kid handed the money over without wincing about the cost. They had plenty of it but right now he was more or less worried about Heyes and how they’d get on if he kept on believing he was Joshua Smith. It looked as if the cover they used in towns, often, had taken root and since he’d forgotten who he really was, the only other thing he had left to hang onto was his cover identity.

 

“Oh great.” Kid growled to himself as he headed on back to their hotel room.

 

~*~

 

Kid approached Joshua easily as he could. Trying to be the friend and partner he’d always been. This time things were a bit different. Instead of a brooding Heyes who wanted to get going as soon as possible he found that Joshua didn’t much mind being kept in bed. All he really needed was a few books and he didn’t much care what the Kid did as long as he was safe about it.

 

“Do you remember who beat and shot you?” Kid asked, sitting down in his chair again. Joshua blinked at him a few times, scrunched his nose in thought - a purely Hannibal Heyes thing to do - and then shook his head.

 

“I don’t remember much,” Joshua shrugged. “I know that if you hadn’t come along, Thaddeus, I’d be dead.”

 

“Yeah.” Kid/Thaddeus agreed. “all right, is there something you can kinda remember, maybe a certain tree or rock formation...anything that I can go check out?” Kid tried. He really wanted to get the gang responsible for this. He wished they were closer to Devil’s Hole territory so that he could stash Joshua with their old gang while he found the one that’d almost killed Joshua at the same time.

 

“Maybe...but it’s kinda vague….” Joshua shook his head. Then he brought a hand to his temple and cringed; Kid guessed that a brutal headache had just started. He produced a packet of medicine from his jacket pocket and dumped it into a glass. He added water and then handed it to Joshua who took it and without preamble chugged it down.

 

Kid was beginning to like Joshua; this was the easiest time he’d ever had taking care of Heyes. Where Heyes just sighed and refused, Joshua accepted and went on. Kid could get used to this. He probably would never be able to tell Heyes this, but he wasn’t above teasing the man a little.

 

“What is it that you remember?” Kid asked after Joshua had drank the water.

 

“I remember a camp. I don’t...remember where.”

 

Kid could have slapped himself, he hadn’t thought about going out to their claim to see what he could of it. He had other things to do first. He warmed a pot of water in the fireplace for a sponge bath. He was careful around the bandages and Joshua quietly accepted the embarrassment but knew he’d never get Thaddeus to leave him alone to do it himself. After getting Joshua into a clean sleeping shirt and back in bed, this time piled with blankets because he was cold, Kid ordered food to their room.

 

The young girl who brought it had a bright smile for Kid when he opened the door; “I’ve also brought some fresh baked bed, Mama says that makes everyone happy.” she said brightly. Kid smiled and nodded.

 

“Your Mama is right about that.” he agreed. On her way out he flipped the girl a silver dollar. She looked at him all sorts of bright eyed. He put a finger to his lips and she smiled as she secreted the coin away. She probably never saw that amount in her whole life, much less in silver and Kid had a thing for children anyways.

 

Joshua let out a slight chuckle from the bed; “If you ain’t careful Thaddeus she’ll grow a crush on you.” he teased.

 

Kid turned to Joshua, who’s sporting that grin Heyes doesn’t often allow. One of fondness. Kid mock-frowned at him as he brought the food over.

 

“I was just spreading the wealth a bit.” Kid denied. “And besides, she’s all but twelve years old and doing a lot of work around here, she deserves a little bit to herself, don’t ya think?” Kid asked. Joshua had sat up by this time and accepted the bowl of broth and fresh bread, smothered in butter, from Kid.

 

“Yeah, I bet there’s something she’d like that she can’t have since her parents are doing all they can to run this place.” Joshua agreed. The hotel was a bit on the worn side but there was care and love put into it. It felt a little bit like home. Joshua blinked, he couldn’t conjure up images of home. The most he got was a blurry green thing in his mind. Or blackness.

 

“Joshua…?” Kid snapped his fingers.

 

“What…?” Joshua blinked, almost spilling the broth.

 

“Sanders said it might take a bit before you started remembering properly.” Kid said.

 

Joshua grimaced; “I heard.”

 

“What?”

 

“The last bit when you were paying him, you were out in the street. The window is open. I heard.” Joshua admitted.

 

“Joshua, sorry...I…”

 

“It’s fine.” Joshua shrugged. “I….I just hope you won’t leave me here alone.”

 

“Well, yes and no.” Kid said. Joshua looked up at him. Kid could see that he wasn’t successful in hiding his fear and trying to act as if it didn’t worry him.

 

“I have to go out to our claim. The one you were going to work while I was gone in Mexico. Remember?” Kid asked.

 

Joshua bit his tongue, then shook his head. He looked down ashamed.

 

“It’s not your fault, Joshua, you did what you had to do to survive. Your memory will come to its senses eventually.” Kid said as comfortingly as he could. He wasn’t used to this. Mostly they never talked about this when things happened. Heys probably didn’t tell him a lot of things when they were separated unless he thought Kid had to know.

 

“I...I’m not afraid of…” Joshua sighed.

 

“I’ll come back, but it’ll be tomorrow.” Kid said. The ride out to their claim would take half the day, there’s no telling what he’d find there either, but he wasn’t going to be away from Heyes if he thought this trip wouldn’t help him figure out what had happened to Heyes.

 

“I think...I was hunted….” Joshua said. “I was having these terrible dreams and...I kept running and running, but...someone...shot me.” he ate some brother. Kid speared a bit of egg and they ate in silence for a few minutes.

 

“Just be careful, okay?” Joshua finally looked at Kid, in the eyes. “I don’t want what happened to me to happen to you.”

 

“I’ll be careful,” Kid promised.

 

Joshua bit his bottom lip but eventually he nodded.

 

~*~

Joshua caught the girl, Mary, on her way out to do the laundry.

 

“Miss,” he said. She looked up at him and smiled. He produced another silver dollar. “I’m going to be away for a few hours, until tomorrow sometime. Would you see to it that Joshua is alright?”

 

He offered her the coin, she took it and nodded.   
  


“Sure will Mr. Jones.” she grinned and then skipped to the wash tub and dumped the clothing in her arms into it. Kid scratched at his ear as he turned to get his horse ready for the long ride to their small claim.

 

~*~

 

Joshua clenched his teeth against the pain as he levered himself out of bed and over to the window. He hunched on the wall and made sure that Thaddeus wouldn’t be able to see him when he rode past, out of town. Thaddeus had left him some money and had cleaned his gun. Left extra bullets too just in case. Joshua appreciated it.

 

If there was one thing he could count on Thaddeus to do, it was to protect him. Well, as best he could. Joshua wouldn’t go blaming the man for trouble he found on his own.

 

Still, he worried. His mind is a complete blank when he thinks back on the last two weeks of….well….it had to be hell. There’s no telling what happened besides getting beaten and shot; left for dead in the countryside. He couldn’t remember who’d done it though, or why.

 

He watched Thaddeus leave town before turning away from the window. His side hurt, as did his shoulder. The Doctor said that the bullet in his shoulder entered from behind. So, he had to have been chased down when that bullet hit him. The other one around the hip area was from the front, so he’d tried to…

 

“What…?” Joshua asked the empty room. Was he the type of man who would face down danger if he had too? Well, it was the West. Danger hid behind every rock and tree. A man was always at risk of being robbed on the trail if they weren’t careful about it.

 

But, was that what had happened to him?

 

Joshua shook his head. The headache was getting worse despite the medicine Thaddeus had given him and his eyes were heavy with the need to rest. He somehow managed to get back to the bed. He crawled in and arranged the blankets. Suddenly, it was so cold that his teeth began to chatter. He groaned, and hoped he wouldn’t come down with some illness or other while Thaddeus was away, he’d never hear the end of it.


	3. The Tough gets to Thinking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kid and Joshua start their investigation. Then things get even more complicated when Mr. Fish arrives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't gonna post again so soon but I've had a stressful day and figure that getting this chapter out may help. :) I am on chapter 4 and am trying to make these chapters good and long. Also, I am STILL trying to source out the plot and I dunno what's gonna happen but that's half the fun. :) Also, there's another change of identities. It may get confusing, I'll try to be clear about it. Basically, since Hannibal has amnesia whenever he think's he's someone else, he'll take on that name. So in the backflashes he's his given name, when he has amnesia, who knows. I hope this helps.

~*~

TWO WEEKS AGO, EVENING

~*~

 

The gun dug into the small of his back. He’d been ordered to his feet, hands in the air and his gun belt had been taken from him by some young kid, barely seventeen. He’d gotten a couple teeth knocked out of him but wasn’t the one to worry about.

 

“Well, Heyes...I never thought I’d run into you again.” the voice is deep and booming, Heyes cringes as he recognized to whom it belonged.

 

“Mad Dog Treavor,” Heyes clucked his tongue. “What can I do ya for?” he asked as easily, friendly as he could; it covered the slight quiver in his voice. But he wasn’t too sure if he’d done the job right as Treavor laughed from behind.

 

“Well, that ten thousand bounty on you would do first.” Treavor said as he came around into Heyes’ view. Treavor is taller than Heyes by a short foot. His clothing has seen better days, though all of his men have patches everywhere. They ride hard and play dirty. His dark brown eyes takes Heyes in while his right hand plays with a rather large, skinning knife.

 

“Been a while.” Treavor smiles, he’s missing a tooth and about three other sin his mouth shine golden in the firelight. Heyes looks the bull right in the eyes. He isn’t seventeen anymore. He isn’t afraid of Mad Dog. Okay, that’s a lie. He is. Very much afraid. But, there’s something about being with the Devil’s Hole Gang that helped him mask it better. And this happens to be one of those times he wishes Kid were with him. At least with Kid around Heyes had someone to worry about. Sure, he wasn’t too thrilled about being skinned alive. But, he’d be less than thrilled if the person being skinned was Kid and not himself.

 

“Oh, don’t worry about me skinnin’ ya right now, boy.” Treavor smirked. Even though he still twirled the knife about some in his hands.

 

“And why not?” Heyes demanded. He can’t help but be slightly offended. He didn’t know why either, he just felt galled that Mad Dog would ride into his camp like this. Heyes didn’t like the man in his private business. Mad Dog, of course, didn’t give two shits.

 

“Well, I heard from a little bird that someone was poking around up here in search of gold. The boys and I figured we’d just ride on up here and take a peek.” Treavor explained.

 

Heyes grit his teeth, he held back on cursing only because it’d give Mad Dog what he wanted. And Heyes wasn’t about to do that. They had been lying in wait and he was too busy to see the signs. Heyes felt immensely stupid right then.

 

“I haven’t started, there isn’t any gold in my posession for you to take.” Heyes explained, not that it’d do him any good.

 

“We know.” Mad Dog’s second, Monkey-Face spat onto the dirt at Heyes’ feet. His nickname was well acquired since he looked just south of a real monkey with hair all over that sometimes got him mistaken for a Sasquatch. “and that’s why we ain’t turning you in, quite yet.”

 

“What?” Heyes asked even though he knew exactly where this would be going. Next thing he hears is the jingling of chains and he knows this isn’t gonna be a small stroll in the park. Now he wishes he’d gone with Kid.

 

Mad Dog and Monkey-Face watch as Heyes is chained. He’s led to the entrance of the mine/cave where several stakes are hammered into the ground. He’s locked down tight and searched. They come up with a lock-pick set, not his better one since he sent that off with Kid, and a small penknife.

 

“You ain’t gettin’ away that easily, boy.” Treavor says. The rest of his men start to bed down for the night. “You’re mine for the foreseeable future.” he grabbed Heyes’ chin in a giant hand, holding the younger man still as a rock as he levers the jaw open and stuffs a handkerchief in as far as it’ll go. Heyes gags and tries to breath through the attack. A piece of thin rope is wound around his head and tied, tight, at the back. Keeping him well gagged.

 

“Rule one,” Treavor carted his fingers through dark, thick curls, “no talking.”

 

Then he leave Heyes to suffer the cold of the moonless night, gagged and chained. Trying to find a way out of this but knowing he won’t without getting something to show for it. Heyes watched the men carefully through the night, they were far too alert for him to try anything. Even without the pen knife, Heyes was adept at picking locks. They’d missed a set in his shirt cuff he’d taken to wearing some after a run in with the law just a few weeks back.

 

Heyes watched the sun rise, and with it, the men. It’d be a long day. And he wasn’t looking forward to it.

  
  
  


~*~

PRESENT DAY

~*~

 

Joshua woke with a startled gasp. His heart going a mile a minute and sweat rolling down his body as if he’d been dunked in a horse trough. He tried to snatch the last remnants of the dream - no, nightmare - but it withered away like a snake and he wasn’t fast enough to catch it.

 

But, it felt familiar. The feeling of danger, panic and fear took a few moments to dissipate. The room around him came into view and no one was with him. Still, the words echoed in his head.

 

No talking...no talking...no talking….

 

Just to be contrary, Joshua looked around the empty room, and said; “why not?”

 

Nothing answered him. He lay back down in bed; nightmares weren’t conducive to a good nights rest and he hadn’t any compulsion to try and get out of bed any time soon. He decided that staring at the ceiling and trying to puzzle out his past was a better use of his time instead of cowering in fear under the covers from some disembodied voice he couldn’t very well remember.

 

~*~

 

Kid arrived at the claim around mid day. The fire pit was cold to the touch. The supplies Heyes had come up with were strewn about, mostly ruined. There’d be a lot of cleaning up to do. Kid ventured into the old mine/cave entrance, it didn’t go very far. It reminded him a bit of the cave scenes from Tom Sawyer. Heyes had read that book to him off and on a few months back. They’d both liked it even though Kid still wondered what the price was on Mark Twain’s head. Still there were several passages, one connected and made a bit of a circle. At the back of this he saw fresh pick axe marks. and a pile of chains. They’d made Heyes work it for their own entertainment and took the gold for themselves, all the while torturing his best friend.

 

Kid felt his blood boiling. He fingered his gun, itching to shoot something, anything just to avenge his friend. Kid made his way out of the mine. A trail went off towards the north, made by a dozen or so horses. Heyes’ was no where in sight. They’d probably stolen the one horse in all these years that Heyes actually liked and was reluctant to sell. So reluctant that they didn’t take trains as often as before. He really loved Merigold. Kid sighed.

 

He took one last look at the camp; then he got onto his own horse and followed the trail the gang had left behind. Only Fools too full of their own stupidity and assuredness of not being caught left a trail to be followed. If there was one thing going for the Devil’s Hole gang, it’s that at least they tried to not leave one. Well. except for that last job. Anybody could have followed what looked like someone dragging a safe behind a horse.

 

~*~

Evening is just beginning to fall; and Joshua isn’t any closer to his memories than he was that morning when he found out he had Amnesia. He had his personal effects strewn across the bed. It’d taken some time for him to gather the strength for it. But in the end he had a few pairs of clothing folded in a pile, a couple of vest, two coats that looked far too worn - the Blue one had faded red stains on it and a couple holes that’d been stitched up by someone when his laundry had been done - a deck of playing card that’d seen their day but was important somehow, a book by Mark Twain called “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” and a small black book that had his writing in it, well, he assumed; it was hard to read.

 

September 8, 188_

I’ve fallen into the clutches of another gang. Somehow they figured out who I really am and are holding me captive to open safes for them. This isn’t ideal but nothing I cannot handle. At least Kid Curry isn’t threatening my life every other sentence. He’s the best shot around here as well. Maybe if I befriend him I’ll have half a chance of getting away. Better yet, Big Jim letting me join their gang. It’d sure be handy to have a few more eyes looking out during a bank robbery.

 

H. Heyes

 

Ps. They call themselves the Devil’s Hole Gang.

 

Joshua blinked his eyes. Random faces appeared in his mind’s eye but he couldn’t assign a name to them. Maybe these were people of the gang he apparently joined, that is if he really was Hannibal Heyes.

 

A knock to the door interrupted him; “Come in.” he directed.

 

A portly man opened the door and entered the room. He was dressed in a fine suit and looked as if he’d never seen a day of hard labour. He had a balding head as he swept off the top hat.

 

“My Son! I was hoping to find you here!” the man smiled widely.

 

“What…?” Joshua blinked.

 

“I have been looking all over the territory for you. And to think you’re in a one horse town like this. Your mother will be ever so glad to have you back home.” the man said as he walked further into the room. He looked Joshua up and down then frowned. “You’ve been having a hard time, haven’t you?”

 

“I don’t know who you are, I think you have me confused for someone else.” Joshua frowned.

 

“No. No. I’m sorry to spring all of this onto you right now but it’s important.” the man said. “I’m Hank Fish from Terraceville, Nebraska. Your Mother, Mrs. Amelia Terrace, has been looking for you ever since you up and disappeared two years ago.” Fish said as he sat down in a chair near the bed. He had noted Joshua’s injuries as he sat down.

 

“I’ve been tasked to find you, but after six months we lost your trail and have been going after ghosts, I thought you’d be another one of those ghostly dead ends but it appears I am wrong.” Fish explained.

 

“So...I’m not Joshua Smith either?” Joshua muttered more to himself than to Fish.

 

“No, your name is Thomas Terrace. And you’re the eldest son of Amelia and Benjamin Terrace. You’re father died and left everything to your mother but you run the town bank. You were kidnapped for the codes but apparently got away. At least from what the Bannerman Detective Agency could put together you had somehow escaped whomever had kidnapped you for that purpose.” Fish replied.

 

“I’ve heard of the Bannerman Detective Agency.” Joshua said, looking up. “But nothing else, are you sure I am who you say I am?” Joshua asked.

 

“I do.” Fish stood.

 

“And I have a private wagon waiting to take you home.”

 

“What? Now? I can’t just leave Thaddeus alone without leaving word.” Joshua said, he looked around the room in abject horror at the very thought.

 

“Oh, I was afraid this would happen.” Fish sighed and look positively disappointed. Joshua felt horrible that he’d upset the man, though he wasn’t certain as to why.

 

“What would happen?” Joshua scrunched up his nose.

 

“That you’d get attached to the man who kidnapped you.” Fish shook his head and clucked his tongue.

 

Joshua blinked at Fish for a few seconds before thoughts took form in his head. “Are you saying that Thaddeus kidnapped me?”

 

“Well, that ain’t his real name you see, Son. His real name is Kid Curry and he’s part of the Devil’s Hole gang.” Fish replied.

 

“Devil’s Hole…..” Joshua thought about it, it had been mentioned in the single passage of the journal he’d just read. But the man who had written that called himself Hannibal Heyes….

 

“Are you…?”

 

“I am. quite sure.” Fish interrupted.

 

“And you want to leave tonight?” Joshuah, no, his name is Thomas now isn’t it? asked.

 

“Yes, the sooner the better.” Fish replied.

 

“I’m kind of injured I don’t think it’ll be good for me to travel right now,” Thomas returned. Moving was a bitch and a half and getting dressed seemed daunting.

 

“I have a Doctor with me. I’ll go fetch him. I didn’t want to scare you but now that you know the truth I think you’ll be fine. Stay here.” and with that Fish was out of the room.

 

Joshua...no. Thomas…..cringed. What sort of name was Thomas anyway? oh it wasn’t a bad name, for other people, it just didn’t ring true to him. He sighed and glanced at the small black journal.

 

What if he’d lost his memory before? what if he’d built a life as this “Hannibal Heyes” person and had grown to trust Kid Curry despite being kidnapped? what if he had gotten injured in the head before and Kid had lied to him and told him he was Hannibal Heyes? what if….what if…???

 

“What if what!?” Thomas demanded. The room was silent and his brain didn’t provide any answers.


	4. Kid's Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thomas settles in, Kid arrives, and there is a lot of back story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just realized a thing so I'll fix that here in chapter 5. ;) not gonna point it out for reasons. Also. It's my birthday so even if ch5 isn't finished I figure I'll go ahead and post a chapter. Also. Things are getting a ton more complicated. lol. please enjoy.

homas patiently suffered through Doctor George Mallard’s care; old bandages changed, wounds washed, medicine taken - which made him sleepy - and dressed. His things were packed quickly and he left directions with the clerk to keep the room for when Thaddeus returned.

 

“Why did you do that when he kidnapped and used you?”Fish asked once he’d gotten his young charge into the back of the wagon. It wasn’t ideal for a patient in Thomas’ condition but they had to get him home as soon as possible.

 

“Because he saved my life a few times.” Thomas replied with a slight shrug, it didn’t feel like a lie. The words flew from his mouth without much thought,. It felt like the truth. Maybe things between them had changed and for some reason Thomas had decided to stay with Thaddeus...er...Kid.

 

Fish pulled some blankets over Thomas and settled back into the ride. The Doctor was driving and half way through the night they’d switch. They should be at the Terrace home in time for breakfast if they were quick about it.

 

“Go to sleep, you’ll be home safe and sound soon.” Fish promised. Thomas couldn’t help it, whatever medicine he’d been given dragged him into unconsciousness quickly. Soon enough, Fish snapped his fingers in front of the man lying down before him.

 

“Sleeping like a baby,” he reported to the Doctor as he joined him.

 

“Is this really going to work?” The Doctor asked.

 

“It has to work.” Fish replied with a slight frown on his brow.

 

~*~

Mary hummed a song she’d learnt in Church while drawing water from the well when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned to see Thaddeus Jones looking like a storm cloud in the middle of summer.

 

“Where’d my friend go?” he asked, gently, but she could tell he was horribly mad.

 

Mary tried not to cry; “he left with some men last night.”

 

“Do you know where they went?” he asked.

 

Mary knew it was wrong to eaves drop. It was a sin and she’d been praying all morning for God to forgive her of her tresspasses - whatever that meant - she nodded. “I hear Mr. Smith and Mr. Fish talking. They were talking about Terraceville.” she reported.

 

Thaddeus took a deep breath and with it the storm had passed; “Thank you, miss, sorry to have scared you.” he gave her two silver coins this time. Then he turned and went into the hotel. By noon he had packed up and checked out of the hotel. Mary waved as she watched him leave town. She gave a little sigh. He probably never would be back this way and she’d never talk to him again. She was glad for that. She was half afraid she was falling in love with him.

 

~*~

 

Amelia Terrace sit in a rocking chair, knitting, when the wagon pulls up. She looks up, lips pursed, afraid that her son wouldn’t be coming home to her. She knew it was a long shot. Mr. Fish had explained that they were probably chasing another dead end, another story of mistaken identity, but...he was grinning when he jumped down from the wagon. One of her farm hands came from the barn to see to the horses and storage of the wagon.

 

“Did you find him?” she asked.

 

“Yes, ma’am, I did.” Fish replied.

 

A few seconds later Doctor Mallard was pulling a man from the wagon, roughly, the man didn’t complain though as he tried to find his balance.

 

Amelia squinted her eyes. Her sight had gone in the recent months and it was hard to see things. But the soft, dark curly head and the body shape made her sure that the man being brought to her was indeed her son, Thomas.

 

“Here he is, ma’am.” Mallard said, his tone gruff.

 

“Is he all right?” Amelia asked. She set her knitting to the side and got to her feet. From inside a maid came out to see if she could be any help.

 

“He’s been shot a couple of times and beaten.” Mallard replied.

 

“By who?” Amelia demanded. Angrily. No one put a finger on her son in a way that hurt him. She’d see to it that whoever did it would hang.

 

“Kid Curry.” Fish informed her.

 

“Why, that brute!”

 

The Maid looked a bit confused upon hearing this information but said nothing as she helped the Doctor get Mr. Terrace into the house. It took them a bit to get him up the stairs. He was still out cold from the medicine Mallard had given him. At least, that’s what Sarah guessed.

 

They got him changed and into bed. Sarah drew the blinds and started a fire in the grate. Mr. Terrace had started to shiver and she was afraid that he’d come down with an illness.

 

Then they left him alone. Sarah returned to the kitchen to fetch fresh lemonade she’d made for the men’s arrival. Along with that some Russian Tea Cakes that her mother had taught her how to make. She deposited the tray onto the coffee table in the parlor while the Doctor and Mr. Fish reported to Mrs. Terrace.

 

“He’s in bad form, ma’am,” Mallard said. He accepted a cup of lemonade from Sarah.

 

“What do you mean?” Amelia asked. Also taking a glass.

 

“He’s malnourished. I’d say he hasn’t had a good meal in weeks. He’s been beaten, nothing broken thankfully. And shot twice. Once in the hip and once in the shoulder. It will take time for him to heal up. He may not be able to take over Bank business for a week or so.” Mallard replied.

 

“That’s fine. I’m just glad he is home.” Amelia said.

 

“Ma’am, there may be one problem.” Fish said, changing subjects.

 

“Yes, what is it?” Amelia asked.

 

“Kid Curry goes by the name of Thaddeus Jones. Yes, it is a common name, but, we know for a fact that he kidnapped Thomas. We don’t know what he’s done to the boy for the last two years. When he starts to regain his memory we may be dealing with a different person.” Fish explained.

 

“Who?” Amelia demanded.

 

“Hannibal Heyes. Now, we won’t know until he gets to his real memories. Those of Thomas, your son. But he may think he’s the outlaw. And he is wanted.” Fish replied.

 

“We’ll be able to cover that up, right?” Amelia asked.

 

“Yes.” Fish nodded.

 

“Than we shall deal with it as it comes.” Amelia decided.

 

“Very good, ma’am.” Fish nodded once more.

 

“Now, about the family reunion…” Amelia started. Mallard took his leave and Fish stayed to take notes on what Amelia wanted, where it would go and to give him a list of supplies.

 

~*~

 

Kid is very glad Terraceville is only a day’s ride. Anything more and his horse probably wouldn’t have let him ride again for several hours. He rode, not for the township itself, but a small farm a couple miles from the town.

 

Sarah, his older sister, was a slight reason as to why he and Heyes had come to Nebraska in the first place. He had been exchanging messages with her for the last couple of months and she’d said that Nebraska was free of their wanted posters. So, they had made tracks towards anonymity.

 

As he rode up to the small cabin, surrounded by pine trees, a boy ran out from the barn opposite. “Uncle Jed!”

 

“Troy!” Kid greeted and swung down from his horse.

 

“Can I take care of her, Uncle?” Troy asked. Excitedly. His blond hair flopped around as he jumped up and down. He was only twelve so Kid didn’t admonish him for it.

 

“Darla loves oats and give her plenty of water, okay? can you do the saddle on your own?” Kid asked.

 

“Yeah, I’ve been doing Ma’s since she got a job with Mrs. Terrace.” Troy replied. “She says I do a good job and am a blessing to her.”

 

“Good boy,” Kid nodded. He took his saddlebag before Troy led Darla to the barn, talking her tail off the entire way.

 

“Uncle Jed!” the arms that were about his waste belonged to Victoria. She has her father’s coloring, long black hair, olive skin and dark brown eyes.

 

“Hey, Victoria.” Kid said and hugged her back.

 

“Ma won’t be home for hours.” Victoria frowned.

 

‘That’s fine, just tell me if anything around here needs to be fixed.” Kid replied.

 

‘The roof on the house and barn are leaking,” Victoria frowned. “The bottom stair of the porch is loose and...well...we need to get the hey harvested.”

 

“I’m on it.”

 

“Uncle, where is Mr. Heyes?” Victoria asked, not seeing the second man Ma had mentioned when she told them of their Uncle impending visit.

 

“He’s….” Kid sighed.

 

“Did he not want to meet us?” Victoria asked.

 

Kid shook his head; “He got hurt, real bad, lost his memories but somehow ended up here.” Kid explained.

 

“Will he be alright?” Victoria asked. She’d been looking forward to meet her Uncle’s handsome friend. She’s seventeen and looking to marry. Ma had met Mr. Heyes once, a long time ago. And Victoria couldn’t help but think that her mother’s description of the man made him very handsome indeed.

 

“Sure he will.” Kid said.

 

“Well, come in.” Victoria said. “Sybil should be waking soon.”

 

“I’ll try and be quiet on my up.” Kid said as he entered the house. Victoria returned to her bread making and Sybil was quietly cooing in her crib when Kid looked in on the youngest Curry child. He picked her up and she smiled broadly up at him.

 

“I know another man who’d be happy to see you.” Kid said to her. He changed her diaper before bringing her down to Sybil who took the baby away from him. Troy was bothering Victoria and once she was distracted with baby he took a sliver of fresh bread she’d been slicing for dinner.

 

“Let’s get going on the roof,” Kid said and hustled Troy out mouth full of bread.. Victoria gave a sweet, little laugh and Sybil giggled along. not entirely sure what was so funny.

 

~*~

 

Once again evening was falling, another day had come and gone and Thomas - or was it actually Joshua? - had missed it. He stood at the window of the room he’d been given. He was dressed in a silk night shirt and a lovely, warm robe, though he did not remember changing into them himself. He leant heavily against the frame of the window, watching life below. His shoulder was beginning to bother him, as was his hip. But he ignored both points of pain. His breath still hitched a bit from the beating he’d taken and…

 

He couldn’t help but feel a little bit guild about leave Thaddeus - or Kid - back in the previous town without word of where he’d gone. Fish had insisted upon leaving without a word, which he succeeded at. Thomas didn’t much like being drugged but he couldn’t argue the outcome. He figured he’d have done the same thing.

 

But, that wasn’t the only thing bothering him. He wondered if he actually was the son Mrs. Terrace had been looking for in the past two years. Or if she was getting old enough, senile enough, that whoever was actually in charge, decided to put her worries to rest before her death.

 

Thomas - or Joshua or Hannibal Heyes, he just didn’t know - shook his head. He was beginning to suffer a headache and it may be from all the thinking he was trying to do. He could only remember the last two days since Kid had found him out in the wilderness. Everything before that, even his childhood, was a big blur and it was beginning to piss him off.

 

He turned away from the window, and the hands doing their nightly chores, and wobbled his way over to the dresser where his things had been put away. The small black journal was among the little clothing he owned. He thumbed through it, and picked a spot at random.

 

October 5, 188_

 

I have no idea what got into Wheat and Kyle today; I figure Kid or Big Jim put them up to it. But for some reason they decided to go and rob a bank all on their own. Which is highly against the rules. I knew I never should have taken them two to town with me. A fat lot of good I’ll do the gang if I’m locked up behind bars. They kidnaped me for the single point of working safe’s. GAH!

 

H. Heyes.

 

Later -

I got them two idiots out of jail the old fashioned way. Dynamite. We won’t be able to go back to that town for a while. Sheriff Knottingham (I swear I am not making that up.) would not be very pleased to see us.

 

Thomas smiled. Whoever this journal belonged to had an interesting life. Outlaw’s had a hard life but from what he gathered in the journal. Hannibal did not mind particularly much. However, one word did not escape his interest after his amusement had faded. The gang Hannibal was working for...had kidnapped him…????

 

He shook his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Obviously the gang wasn’t horrible to him otherwise he’d have left as soon as he could. Thomas flipped back a few pages to see if he could find when that particular adventure had begun.

 

January 9 188_

 

Ugh. First time in days I’ve been able to record my thoughts. For posterity. One day people will be reading my journal to get an idea of what life in the west was like and I aim to please. My wrists hurt, Kid Curry can tie a mean knot. I’ve been tied up for days. This all started three days ago when I was dragged out of a saloon as soon as I’d arrived in town. Apparently, my reputation has proceeded me and I am known as the “fastest fingers” in the West. I don’t want people to actually call me that, shut up!  So what if I can open safes. If people worked at it I wouldn’t be the only bank robber this side of the Mississippi that can sneak in and out of a bank in ten minutes flat.

 

Anyway. There I was, minding my own business, like ya do, when this man with bright blue eyes and hair the color of sunshine, walked up to me. And jammed his bloody six shooter into my side. I have a bruise. I swear on all things that are Holy in this world.  So he made me go outside where he and a few other men got me into a wagon and off we went. Well, they at least grabbed my horse so I should be thankful for something. Even if it’s hard to do so.

 

I’m not my mother, I am not good at giving Grace.

 

I DON’T even know why I am writing this. I doubt anyone is going to read it. However, I am this far so I may as well finish. After three days of being tied up I was given a test this morning, because the gang didn’t figure I was who I said I was. They had eight saves for me to open. I did all of them in under fifteen minutes when the deadline was twenty.

 

And that is how I find myself in the bunkhouse, writing this by the glow of dying embers with Kid Curry watching me like a hawk.  I think I can pretty much sweet talk the rest of them, but Kid is gonna be one hell of a challenge.

 

H. Heyes

 

Thomas thumbed the pages. He happened to glance at his wrists. They were bandaged because whatever he’d been restrained with had bit into the skin. He wouldn’t know if he was the man who wrote the diary. Because if Hannibal Heyes’ words were trustworthy. He’d have sported scars from when Kid Curry had tied him up before the test.

 

Thomas sighed and put the journal down on top of the dresser; he hobbled over to his bed and sat down heavily. His eyes were blinking shut and things were a little bit blurry. He couldn’t see anything very well. He shrugged out of the robe and crawled under the covers before he fell down on the floor. That is one embarrassment he didn’t want to deal with tonight.

 

Seconds later the door opened; a young woman walked in. She had a subdued smile on her face and a tray; “I thought you might like something to eat, Mr. Terrace.” she smiled at him.

 

Thomas worked his way to sitting up in bed. Which sapped what was left of what little strength he had. The woman helped him lean against pillows she piled behind him.

 

“It’s a cup of my chicken broth. I make it for my children when they are under the weather.” she chattered at him. The back of her hand connected to his forehead and she clucked her tongue. “I swear, that Doctor is mighty useless.”

 

“Heyes, you’re mighty useless when you’re acting like a mule!”

 

“I’m sorry.” Thomas blinked, “Come again?”

 

“Well, he thinks we’re all fooled but I have it from a good friend of mine back East that he’s all bluster.” the woman shook her head and handed Thomas the cup of broth. It wasn’t too hot to sip right away and so he did. it was a bit salty, but the taste was magnificent.

 

“This is wonderful.” he said. The woman smiled.

 

“I’m so glad you think so.” she replied.

 

Thomas nodded; “and why is Doctor Mallard useless?”

 

“Oh, he didn’t exactly finish medical school.” the woman rolled her eyes. “I have a letter which informs me that he was expelled. For cheating on his exams.”

 

“That doesn’t sound good. Why is he even employed here?” Thomas asked.

 

“Well, people have all sorts of accidents out here. We need all the Doctors we can get, but nine times out of ten, my Wives Tails concoctions work plenty better than Mallards snake oil.” the woman snorted.

 

“I am feeling better already, tell me, do you have anything for recovering one’s memory?” Thomas asked.

 

“Hmmmm…” the woman brought a finger to her lips and looked away from him in thought. After a few short seconds she shrugged. “I can’t think of any. But maybe Matilda may know something. I’ll talk to her on the way home tonight.” the woman promised.

 

“You don’t live here?” Thomas scrunched his nose at her. The woman laughed as if it were the single cutest thing she’d seen in her life.

 

“No, no. I have three kids at home. I feel horrible about taking this job. But we’re having a dickens of a time running our farm without my husband.” she sighed.

 

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Thomas frowned.

 

“Well. These things happen. Anyway. You drink that up and there’s fresh bread and some water here, along with some pills Mallard left. Mrs. Amelia insists that you take them and I can’t very well go against her orders.” the woman said as she stood. “It’s ‘bout time I get home to my youngin’s.”

 

“Wish them goodnight from me, please?” Thomas asked politely.

 

“I shall, and thank you.” she smiled and left. She drew the door closed behind her. Thomas relaxed into the pillows. He finished the broth, bread and took the pills. Soon enough, he was asleep and it fell to someone else to blow out the single candle in his room.

 

~*~

 

Sarah sighed when she finally got home. As she had figured, Matilda didn’t have any idea on how one of her witchy concoctions could help a person gain their memory back. She could do a strengthening potion or something along those lines. But memory isn’t something that Medicine women like herself tended to mess with. It could go messy. Or so she’d told her. And so it was later than she had planned to be home. The house shone beyond the grove of apple trees one had to pass through in order to get there and as she drew closer she could not only hear the laughter of all three of her children but another voice as well. Sarah gasped when she realized who it was and ran for the front porch and door.

 

She barged in on Jedadiah telling one of his crazy adventures, which featured Hannibal, but the second man was back at Amelia’s house. Out of everyone in the whole bunch, Sarah, is the only one who knows that Thomas Terrace is not the Thomas Terrace Amelia had lost almost two years ago to the day.

 

“Jed, you’ve finally come!” Sarah cried and threw her arms around her younger brother.

 

“Sarah!” Kid laughed. “I was wondering when you’d get home!”

 

“I was taking care of your friend.” Sarah frowned.

 

“What?” Kid blinked. Looking guilty as sin.

 

“I’ll tell you about it later, right now, go on and finish your story.” she smiled, pretty as you please, the children gathered around and it took Kid a moment to regain his previous glee and started where he had left off.

 

~*~

Kid sat at the kitchen table letting a cup of coffee go cold as Sarah told him about Heyes and the story Fish was telling Amelia, her employer.

 

“How did he look?” Kid asked after she’d gotten done speaking.

 

“He’s a little on the pail side, I don’t think the medication that Mallard is having him take will help with that at all.” Sarah sighed. “I did ask Matilda if she had anything and she’s promised me some sort of an elixir that may help. Well, not memory wise, but strength wise. But I’ll have to sneak it in.” Sarah took his coffee cup. She threw the remnants out the open kitchen window and then dunked it into the leftover dishwater. It’d too had gone cold but did for a quick wash of a cup.

 

“Sarah, what am I supposed to do?” Kid sighed and rubbed his face. Sarah turned and looked at her younger brother. He looked stressed. He always got this pinched look when he was worried about something.

 

“I honestly don’t know. Short of kidnapping him…” she shrugged.

 

“Well….about that...you see…”

 

“Oh no, you didn’t?”

 

“Well, it wasn’t entirely my fault.” Kid held up a hand, stalling the lecture he knew was certain to come if he didn’t explain himself right there and them.

 

Sarah crossed her arms, a brow popped up judgingly.

 

“See, Big Jim and the rest of us got our hands on a particularly difficult safe. We couldn’t bust it open. We hadn’t any dynamite to use, see and none of us knew how to do it with Nitro. So, we’s in town one day when a man comes riding through. He was hired to examine the banks safety procedures because we’s becoming a threat in that area.” Kid frowned as he told his story. “Well, Big Jim found out that this man could open any safe just by fiddling with it. You see?”

 

“And you kidnapped this man, what was his name?” Sarah demanded.

 

“William Bones.” Kid replied.

 

Sarah didn’t even blink; “I know that!”

 

“What, you mean..???” Kid looked confused. Sarah rolled her eyes once more.

 

“No, silly. I know that Mr. Heyes or Bones or whatever….” she waved at the window. “Isn’t Thomas because Thomas is out there somewhere!”

 

“What?”

 

“Why do you think Adam left? He and Thomas were going to rob the bank and split, only they got into an argument. Adam accidentally killed Thomas. He went through with the robbery. He left me some money, about a thousand dollars, and then split. I still have it. I’m too afraid to spend it even though we do need it for repairs to the farm.” Sarah looked at the floor, guilt painted her face and Kid sighed. Long and hard.

 

“Damn.” he muttered.

 

“All right, but back to your story. So ya’ll kidnapped Bones, but what made him change his name to Hannibal Heyes?” Sarah asked.

 

‘Well, when we kidnapped him, one of the boys got too rough. He hit Bones hard over the skull. When he came too, he didn’t remember a thing. He did, however, remember a plot to a penny dreadful he’d been reading. The main character’s name in it is Hannibal Heyes.”

 

“Lord in Heaven!” Sarah declared.

 

“I know right. He figured he was that outlaw. That the book was written about him! we didn’t have the heart to tell him otherwise. He opened the safe and we kinda just…let him go on believing it.” Kid sighed.

 

‘And you’ve kept this secret all these years?” Sarah asked.

 

“Well, yeah.”

 

‘And you’re very closed friends?”

 

“More than close friends.” Kid admitted.

 

“You have to tell him the truth.” Sarah bit her bottom lip.

 

“I can’t do that!” Kid shot up from his chair. “That’d ruin….everything!”

 

“He has a family that are probably worried about him!” Sarah replied.

 

“I know that, it’s just...well…..they ain’t that caring.” Kid pouted.

 

“Lord….!” Sarah rubbed her eyes, sighed and said in a very tired tone; “what about them?”

 

“Well….I visited once, asked after him, ya know, as a friend passing through town. Anyway, his brother just snorted, called Heyes a bastard and shut the door in my face. Come to find out from the townsfolk, Heyes was born out of wedlock. His mother was forced to marry a land-baron because her father owed a large debt and the baron decided to take the daughter as payment. Only, he had her husband killed. She had to sell the farm she and her dead husband had just bought and….well…..you see why I couldn’t let Heyes go back to being William Bones?” Kid asked, hopefully.

 

“That is rather bleak.” Sarah agreed.

 

“Okay, but if he sees….”

 

“He won’t.” Kid flapped a hand at her.

 

“What do you mean by that?”

 

“Well, after he woke up believing he was the character from this book, I went through his things, he had a journal. I tore out all the pages that even mentioned his previous life and name. As far as he’s concerned he has the backstory of that character.”

 

“Which is being orphaned?” Sarah asked. Remembering something from one of Kid’s previous letters.

 

“Right.” Kid nodded.

 

“This is getting worse by the minute, Kid, what if he comes to his senses and remembers who he actually is?”

 

“I hope he doesn’t.” Kid shook his head.

 

“Why?”

 

‘Because he’d kill me if he ever remembered William Bones.”

  
  



	5. Chapter 5

"Did you use all the dynamite?" incredulous.

"Every last bit of it!" a holler.

 

 

"What? Why?"

 

  "Well,it ain't no ordinary safe, Heyes, it's a Brooker two-oh-two!"

~*~

Thomas shook his head, trying to not get caught wondering around in his head instead of paying attention to Fish who's explaining banking to him. As if he'd never heard of the concept before. He couldn't blame Fish all that much. But, banking is like riding a horse. Once you learn you can't unlearn.  He might have amnesia but he's not stupid. Its the safe that's really getting to him. The newest version is a Brooker six-oh-seven. His fingers were itching to open it. Even though he knew exactly what was in there, the thrill used his spine like a xylophone.

 He had to remind himself that he was no longer an outlaw. He's an honest man and stealing from his own bank would devastate the town. He might also stay. The life of Tomas Terrace wasn't a bad one. He had a roof over his head, clothes and food. The estate would also be given to him once his mother died. Or so Fish had told him that morning during the wagon ride into town. Fish wasn't trying to talk badly about Amelia but he did want to go over some investments with Thomas as soon as they got a quiet moment. He had plans and Amelia was only being protective of the money because she just wanted Thomas to not want for anything in life.  That got him to thinking. Not only about bank robberies, but what else Fish may be hiding from him. The only reason he called Thomas Son in the first place was because he was married to Amelia. He wasn't actually Fish's son. Though the older man tried to be fatherly towards him. It came off as awkward and as if the man wanted something from him Tomas couldn't help but feel guilty. What if he wasn't actually Thomas? What if the man came riding into town at any moment?

"Isn't she gorgeous?" Fish asked and turned towards Thomas. Beside him another fellow with a tin star badge watches Thomas.

"No one can bust into that safe." Fish said, leaving off the _Except Hannibal Heyes_! line they were all thinking.

"Is it common for your bank to be robbed, sir?" Thomas asked, put of politeness, of course. Because all banks got robbed at one time or a other. And from what Thomas could see, there were three very good ways to get in. The back door needed to be replaced. The bars on the windows weren't even attached all the way, despite the fancy scroll work which probably cost a fortune. And the cellar door was there for all to see. What a aback needed with a cellar though, Thomas couldn't quite figure. 

"Not all that often." Sheriff Ned Howzer said. He tilted his hat back a bit. The bank was very hot with all the windows closed. 

"Why is that?" Tomas asked, out of curiosity. He wasn't gonna rob the place. He just wanted to know security details. He almost wished that Kid were with him. The man had the fastest gun in the West, surely he'd help with the right incentive. The black journal lies heavily within his coat pocket. He'd only snuck a peak she he was left for about fifteen minutes when Fish went to get Howzer. The entry had been about the first time - after being kidnapped by the gang - that they'd gotten into a bar fight. They'd come out of it with two black eyes each and laughing. Best friend for there on. Though he suspects there's more to their relationship.

"The only gang around here we need to worry about is Mad Dog's...." Howzer said. Tomas blinked and almost fell to the floor. Fish barely caught him in time. "What's wrong with him?" Howzer demanded as he and Fish got Thomas to the couch in the office.

"He was beat up 'afore I found him." Fish replied, out of breath for dragging the dead wright of his son. Howzer got that look in his eye. The one Fish hated because the Sheriff want on his pay roll and couldn't know anything about his plans.

"His reaction suggests that he may be regaining his memory." Howzer replied. Fish had given him the bare minimum of facts. Including the Amnesia.Thomas is unconscious to the world and so the two can speak freely. 

"All I know is that he was kidnapped two years ago by the Devil's Hole Gang. And even if he ran into Mad Dog, obviously, that man may have been the one to beat the living daylights out of him." Fish explained.

"I suppose." Howzer nodded. He frowned. Something wasn't adding up right. He didn't much like Fish but hardly could find any lie in what the man said. He nodded.

"Maybe," Fish sucked in some breath in a long pause, trying to add some weight behind his words. 

"We shouldn't mention Mad Dog or that other gang." Fish finally said.  Howzer took a moment, and the. Agreed. He left the two at the bank for his rounds. But as he stepped out into the slightly hot Nebraska sunshine, he decided that he couldn't ignore what his gut was telling him. He'd need to investigate quietly. But, something fishy was going on here and he aimed to figure out what. Pun intended. 

 

~*~

The Preacher sat in the Saloon when Kid arrived; it'd been a long shot, trying to find Kid. But, Preacher had an inkling that he was needed somewhere, post haste. Heyes wasn't anywhere to be seen. Which led to questions Preacher didn't want to ask, but knew he had too. Sure, when the two fought, they fought like bears. First words and then physically. Only once did Kid draw down on Heyes and shoot him. But, they never talked about that one. Especially since Heyes was in the right and Kid was just being ornery 'bout it. 

Preacher picked up his empty beer glass and ,are his way over to the bar. Not caring about leaving the table he'd been occupying. Preacher was glad that the boys reported into Lom. And that Lom trusted his gut enough to know to tell him where the boys could be found. Preacher slid up next to Kid. Gave him a moment to recognize him.

"What are ya doing here, Preacher?" Kid asked as if Preacher were disobeying orders to stay out of town or something.

"Well, God gave me a gift, and I knee's y'all were in trouble" Preacher shrugged. The bar back served them beer. Kid paid.  

"Alright, Preach. I'm listening," 

"Funny, shouldn't you be telling me where Heyes is?" Preacher asked out the side of his mouth. 

"He's around." Kid muttered. 

"I heard some rumors. But, it sounds all rather I possible." Preacher replied.

"If I tell ya will you scram?" Kid demanded. 

"Naw, sometimes yous and Heyes gets inta trouble ya can't get out of." Preacher shook his head. "I'm supposed to be here, so tell me what happened and I'll see what I can do 'bout it."  

And so, Kid spilled the beans. At the end of the story; Preacher was quiet. Which wasn't good at all. If kid's memory served him well. That meant that the Preacher was mad. Perhaps angry. "Well, ya ain't getting' rid o' me that easily." he glared

. ~*~ 

THE PAST 

ALMOST THREE WEEKS  AGO 

~*~ 

 

_ Mad Dog Terrance glared down at his captive who was working away with a pic-axe at the wall of the cavern. It'd taken most of the morning to even find a gold vein. And now Heyes was hard at work with at least one guard watching him at every moment. Mad Dog yells at him to get a move on, not at all happy with the near break neck speed which Heyes is using to dig out as much gold as possible before Mad Dog shoots him, execution style, right there and then.  _

_ In thanks for his efforts; he gets the whip. It hurts and he falls against the cave wall. Mad Dog strikes him several more times. Blood runs down his back. Heyes gasps and does his best to not moan in pain. He can't give anything to Mad Dog.  The man laughs and then hands the whip off to Heyes' guard. "if he slows, remind him."   _

 

~*~

 

PRESENT

~*~

Thomas comes awake with a gasp. The fear and phantom pain linger as he takes deep breaths to calm himself. No one is at his side. Odd. Someone should be there. It feels wrong waking alone, even though that's how he's been waking since...well... he can't rightly remember.

  Fish comes into the room; "Finally, your awake. We have a long line. get out there." he demands. Thomas simply nods before getting to his feet and straightening out his suit. Then he's smiling easily and greeting customers. Taking their money and writing receipts. The afternoon is so busy that he doesn't have the time to think about the dream, or memory...or to suss out its meaning.  

 ~*~

"The bank is closing." Preacher smokes in the shadowy pits of an alley way. Kid beside him. Kid smokes a cigar. He wants to be out of sight just in case, by simply seeing him, Heyes has a bad reaction. He isn't sure why he fears this. He doesn't want to scare his partner off, but if he is triggered in anyway, it could be very severe. Kid isn't sure if any of these suppositions are true. He isn't a Doctor, and as far as he remembers, science doesn't know very much about the brain right now either.  

 

"He and that other fellow is walking out." Preacher said.  "We ain't gonna do a thing, yet, not until we know exactly what they want from Heyes." Kid muttered around the cigar end in his mouth.  "I could do some digging around town." Preacher suggested. 

 

"Only if you can do it quietly and not give anyone any reason to suspect ya." Kid sighed through his nose. 

"Whatever ya say, boss." Preacher put out his cigarette and stepped out of the alley.  On the other side of the street, Fish and Heyes passed, none the wiser of the others presence. 

Kid watched. If only he'd stayed in town. Instead of going after Mad Dog. Maybe he could have diffused this bomb. 


	6. Plans, plans and more plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone has plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this has taken me so long. My computer died on me and I am on my iPad. It's hard to reformat but I found a technique thy works and doesn't make the app crash on me. Please enjoy.

Unlike the rest of the week; Tuesday  morning dawned bleak, the clouds are grey over the plains and thunder boomed in the distance. Kid watches from the hotel window. The room behind him is lit with a single candle. The wind threatens to blow it out. And yet the little candle lingers. Goosebumps rise on his arms, the wind is cold and he can smell the rain. Kid ducks back into the room and closes the window before the storm gets too wild and he forgets. 

Behind him the Preacher is coiling some rope; "I dunn like it." he said. 

"We don't have much of a choice." Kid replied, deadpan. He didn't much like it either, but he'd much rather be the one helping Heyes recover his memory, than have other people corrupt Heyes instead. It was also a dick move. But Kid didn't much care at this point. 

 

~*~

 

 

After two days of going to work, and finding that Thomas worked well on his own and could handle the bank without him. Fish decided to take the day off and spend it with Amelia before her branch of the family set upon their  ranch in full force.  He didn't much like the idea of the family reunion, and Thomas couldn't blame him. He didn't want to be paraded around and shone off as the prodigal son.  Still, despite the weather. Thomas showed up at the bank in time to open.

 He didn't notice two men across the street watching him. Both large, one looked like a monkey. The other somewhat normal except for a rather handsome scar on the side of his face compliments of Hannibal Heyes. 

"We taking him back?" Monkey-Face asked. 

"And we'll make sure he stays dead." Mad Dog Terrance sneered. 

~*~

Fish pulled the buggy around, Amelia took a long time to get ready so he figured he had a good twenty solid minutes to talk to Mallard. The Doctor was putting together some of his more mysterious potions out back the bunk house.  Fish found him there in his shirt sleeves, his coat hung off the nub of what was left after the branch had broken, on a nearby tree. 

"When are we going to do this?" Mallard said gruffly. He isn't a very patient man. Fish did his best not to roll his eyes at the man, he wanted to, desperately, but was determined to be a bit more polite. Only a little bit. Mallard didn't deserve it even if he were a real Doctor. 

"Tonight." Fish replied. 

"What about the family reunion?" Mallard asked.

"Wouldn't they ask questions?" 

"What, like what you're doing now?" Fish asked pointedly.   

Mallard ladled some fowl smelling yellow liquid into a bottle and stopped it up with a cork. 

"I just don't want Howzer to ask questions."  

"Neither do I. It's a risk we'll have to take if the plan fails."

"We'll have to make it look as natural as possible."  Fish said.  Just saying the words out loud  cemented his path. For better or for worse, he was committed. Mallard straightens his back and nods.  

"I have just the thing."  

"Good. Make sure Amelia's maid doesn't see you."  Fish nodded. Right then Amelia called out his name. Fish turned towards his wife.   "Just make good on your end." Fish threatened. Mallard shook his head. Fish didn't have anything to worry about. Neither of them wanted to go to jail, or hang, for the murder.  Not only did they both have to pull through on their end of the bargain,  but they also had to keep their mouths shut. 

 

~*~

 

"Don't say anything or go for your gun, Heyes." the man muttered.

Thomas pursed his lips,  just about ready to haul off and lecture whoever had come into his bank calling him that name. The next thing he saw was  Mad Dog. Thomas felt his blood heat within his veins. There were flashes of faces and names within his head, and he had the sudden, overwhelming feeling of wanting Kid.  Mad Dog had his gun on Thomas, and he couldn't move. Thomas was frozen to the spot. He couldn't even draw in a breath.

Mad Dog and Moneky-Face smirked. "We've been lookin' for ya." Monkey-Face said. He moved to circle the large desk to get to Thomas' side in order to get the money from the safe.  Then, a shot rang out. Without them noticing, Kid Curry had entered the bank.  Thomas was glad to see him. He had his doubts about the man. But he couldn't deny all the times Kid had saved his life. 

Monkey-Face turned, drawing his gun down on Kid. Kid squeezed off another shot. The gun went flying. Thomas grabbed the one pointing at him. He wasn't about to be robbed. And twisted it out of Mad Dog's hand.  He was almost shot but the bullet went wide, missing him completely. 

"HANDS UP!" 

"Sheriff Howzer!" Thomas yelled. 

"Alright, guns down gentlemen." Howzer demanded.  

Thomas had Moneky-Face and Mad Dog backed up to a wall where they couldn't make much trouble. 

"The other one is my friend," Thomas said, unsure as to why he vouched for Kid when he'd been lying to him all these years. "He busted in when I really needed him."  

Howzer walked to stand next to Thomas; "Isn't he the one who...?" 

"Yeah, but he's also rescued me from a few scrapes." Thomas muttered lightly. 

"Alright, iffin you say so. Hold yer gun on 'em while I cuff 'em up." Howzer said. Thomas nodded. With two guns  trained on them, ready to shoot if they dared resist. The two outlaws were cuffed. 

"I'll go with the Sheriff to make sure they get there, don't leave." he pointed a finger at Thomas who merely shrugged. Then he was left alone in the bank. Thankfully nothing had been ruined beyond the three bullet holes in the wall's and floor. Thomas thought it gave the bank character that it desperately needed. 

A few minutes later, Kid returned along with Preacher.

"Why'd you vouch for me?" Kid demanded. 

"I've been thinking," Thomas admitted. "Every time I think about it, I've always been able to trust you. We've never lied to each other. So. Tell me the truth. Did you and the gang kidnap me?" Thomas asked. 

Kid blinked. 

"I can't lie. I won't lie." Preacher stepped forwards. "Yeah, we did." he admitted.

"We heard 'bout you when you went to do a security job for a bank near the hide out. We quietly escorted you out of town. You opened a few safes for us and then decided to join up." Preacher explained the bare minimum. Kid almost added that Thomas had taken an injury to the head and had forgotten his previous identity. That he thought he was a character from a popular penny dreadful. Only, Thomas was nodding and accepting every word that Preacher said. 

Kid should have come clean. 

He didn't.  

"Alright." Thomas said. "So I am actually Hannibal Heyes?"  he questioned. 

Preacher didn't even miss a beat; "If that's what who you think ya is." he shrugged. 

Thomas frowned. Kid knew this would only lead to questions he couldn't answer. More like wouldn't. But that didn't matter.  "We need to get out of here, Heyes." Kid stepped forwards. 

"What...?" 

"With Mad Dog and Monkey-Face in jail you know their gang ain't far behind. They'll be riding into town. If they see you, you know they'll just kill you sooner than speak to you." Kid explained. 

"I can't leave." Thomas, or Heyes, shook his head. 

"What...?" 

"You guys are gonna have to convince Howzer to put together a posse to get the rest of the gang. I need to make believe that I'm believing myself to be Thomas Terrace. Fish and Mallard are up to something fishy and if I can figure out what, I can make sure they don't get very far." Heyes explained. 

Kid nodded; "Do you remember anything before the hotel?" 

"No, I still don't know who I am exactly. But, I feel like this is the right thing. That whoever I am, I help people." Heyes shrugged. Truth be told he really liked the name Hannibal Heyes. 

"Alright." Kid nodded.

"I've told Howzer I'm a Colorado Ranger. So he'll accept that plan from me." Kid said and stepped towards the door. 

"I'll go with." Preacher tipped his hat at Heyes and then followed Kid. 

Alone once again. Heyes, or Joshua, or Thomas, started thinking. He'll leave the discovery of his memories to another time. Right now he had to figure out what Fish was up too; and why he was so interested in Thomas signing the estate over to him as soon as Amelia died.  Then the thought hit. Heyes rushed through locking the bank up. Then he ran to the livery where his horse was kept while he was working. It was the work of a few minutes to get her saddled up. And then he made for the farm house

 

~*~

 

Sarah was surprised when Heyes ran into the kitchen; "has Mallard put anything into the food?" 

"Mallard...what?" 

"I think Fish and Mallard are planning to poison Amelia." Heyes replied. 

"Did you get your memory back?" Sarah asked. 

"What? no but Kid came by the bank and...." Heyes blinked. "I think there's something to do with a sister but I'm not very sure..." 

"I'm Kid's sister!" Sarah jumped up and down and clapped her hands, then let out a small yell and slapped a hand over her mouth.  "I did find Mallard smelling tonights supper."

  "How long was he alone with it?" Heyes asked.  

"I don't know." Sarah shrugged. 

"You'll have to remake it. We can't let them know that we know." Heyes said as he paced the kitchen.  

"But aren't you supposed to be minding the bank?" Sarah asked.  

"I'll say that we almost got robbed and I had to do put in a report with Howzer. I'll do that on my way back. Just make sure that anything made for tonight is re-done." Heyes instructed.  

Sarah nodded; "of course." 


End file.
